


you've never looked more beautiful, darling

by etselec



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-20
Updated: 2014-06-24
Packaged: 2018-02-05 12:44:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1818982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/etselec/pseuds/etselec
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Compilation of prompts i was given on tumblr. </p><p>1. No beach divorce; Raven does some matchmaking<br/>2. Charles is the last to realize he's in love<br/>3. College AU; Charles is jealous of Erik's new "girlfriend"<br/>4. Four Times Erik Carries Charles to his Room after He Falls Asleep and the One Time He Realizes He’s Doing it on Purpose<br/>5. Domestic AU fluff</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No beach divorce; Raven does some matchmaking

_i._

Raven, Sean, and Alex all sat at the kitchen table.

“Alright guys,” Raven slammed a file folder on the kitchen table, “I’ve put this meeting into order -”

“This is a meeting?” Sean interrupted, “I thought it was lunchtime.”

Raven rolled her eyes and continued. “Anyways, I’ve decided to gather you guys here today to put a plan into action I’m calling ‘Mission Cherik’.”

“What the hell -”

“As you can see,” Raven flipped open the file folder and pulled out two polaroid photos of Charles, “this -” she pointed to a candid photo of Charles sitting alone and thinking deeply about something. His eyebrows were furrowed and he appeared to be stroking his chin. His mouth was in the form of a frown. “- is Charles  _before_  meeting Erik.” She flicked her eyes upward to see the expressions on their faces.

Alex opened his mouth to say something but didn’t. Sean did it for him. “Okay, so what?”

Raven sighed helplessly. “This -” Raven set the other photo on top of the first one. It was of Charles smiling and laughing, trying to take the camera away from Raven. He was looking more to the left for some odd reason. “ - is Charles  _after_  meeting Erik. As you can see, he is looking very slightly to the left. He was actually looking at Erik and I got this picture of him laughing and smiling just at that moment.” Raven folded her arms and sat back in the kitchen chair, a smirk on her face.

“So,” Alex recapped, “before Erik, he was upset?”

“Yes! Thank you for understanding.”

“…and after Erik he was happy?”

Raven nodded, eyes wide and smiling.

“Wh- wh… I’m confused. Charles is happy and Erik is happy. What more do you want to do?”

“Oh my God, guys, why don’t you see it?” Raven groaned and turned her head to look at their blank faces. “Come  _on_ , don’t you  _see_  it?”

“See what? Just  _tell_  us, Raven!” Sean ran both hands across his hair in frustration.

She leaned over the table. “Charles clearly  _likes_  Erik, and Erik clearly  _likes_  Charles!”

“Well, yeah, they’re, like, best friends,” Alex mumbled.

“No, no, no,” Raven shook her head. “They  _like-like_  each other.”

“Ohhh…” Sean and Alex exchanged glances. “So, you want to get them together?”

“Yeah, this is why I called this meeting in the first place!” Raven threw her arms around, nearly slipping off the edge of her chair.

Sean held his hands up. “Alright, alright. But why do you want  _us_ to? We’re not exactly ‘love doctors’.”

Raven sighed yet again. “Hank and Moira wouldn’t help me. They’re not fun enough. They’re also grocery shopping with Charles and Erik and will be back any minute, _so_ _let me get to the plan!”_

Sean and Alex nodded.

Raven finally smiled. This was going to be good.

-

_ii._

Charles Xavier sat hunched over his desk writing away and shuffling papers. Running a mutant school wasn’t as easy as he thought it would be, but now that he had Erik and Raven as well as the others to help him, it now seemed like a piece of cake. Erik had suggested that he should take a break from school work, but it had to be done. Erik didn’t know how important this was!

Maybe Erik could  _help_  him with all this work. Yet, when thinking of asking, Charles imagined a scenario where he and Erik would be sitting next to each other, writing out records for mutants. Then they would gaze into each others’ eyes and Erik would lean forward and -

No! Work, work, work, yes! Charles shook his head and picked his pencil back up. He tucked some hair behind his ear.

“Charles?” Raven poked her head in his office and knocked on the wall.

“Yes, Raven, dear?” Charles dropped his pencil yet again and leaned back against his chair.

She walked right in holding a  _huge_  bouquet of flowers. All bright roses and tulips. Raven held her arms out and grinned. “This came for you today.”

“For  _me?”_  Charles reached out for the flowers and put them on the side of his desk. “You sure it’s not for you, darling? I imagine boys are chasing after you left and right.” He lifted a card out of the bouquet and his face flushed red.

“Of course not!” Raven’s lip quivered, trying not to smile. “You alright, Charles?”

“Fine!” Charles squeaked. He cleared his throat. “I’m fine.”

Raven nodded. “Later Prof’.”

“Yeah,” Charles muttered distractedly. He continued to squint at the white paper card once Raven was out of the room.  _Erik,_ he thought.  _Why would Erik send me, of all people, flowers?_  Charles read the card over several times:

 

To: Charles

♥ Erik

 

Does Erik know that Charles has been staring at him for one too many seconds and he’s just making fun of him? Erik  _would_  be the type of person to do that. Charles groaned in frustration, wanting to bang his head repeatedly on his desk.

-

_iii._

“DUDE I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT JUST HAPPENED,” Sean yelled rather loudly from across the hall.

“I KNOW RIGHT?!” Alex yelled right back.

Erik was sprawled on his stomach across his bed, trying to read a book. Yes, trying, and failing. Sean and Alex seemed to be having a yelling conversation just across the hall. Erik heard Sean screaming some more and decided it was enough. He pushed his book to the carpet and rolled himself off of the bed. Walking into the hall, he found the nearest boy and grabbed his shoulder. “Sean, what’s so important that you have to yell at Alex when he’s  _right_  there!”

“Oh?” Sean raised his eyebrows at Alex. “Alex? Would you like to discuss with Mr. Lehnsherr what we were just talking about?”

Alex smirked and folded his arms. “Indeed, Sean.”

Erik took a step back from the two boys. “What is going on -”

“We were just talking to the Professor and he told us something.”

“Told you what?” Erik squinted his eyes.

“Something about you.”

Erik shifted from foot to foot. “I don’t have time for -”

Alex interrupted. “He said he thinks you’re…” He stared at his shoes, “cute.”

It was complete silence for a minute, maybe even more. Alex and Sean seemed to have a silent conversation between glances and raising of eyebrows.

“So… I mean… Wha… what?” Erik said sometime later.

Sean laughed awkwardly. “Pfft, yeah! He went on and on about your blue eyes and lean…ness… Uh, um.”

Alex nudged Sean in the ribs and gritted out a warning “dude stop”. Alex blinked. “Yeah, so… yeah…”

“He thinks I’m…?” Erik refused to say the “c-word”.

Both boys nodded furiously. Erik flicked his hand upward, sending the boys on to a nearby couch by the metal of their belts. He turned around and headed back to his room and slammed the door. Erik put his hands behind his back and paced his room back and forth.  _Charles thinks I’m cute?_  he thought,  _if anything, I should be the one calling him cute._ His cheeks flushed just thinking of that.  _With his bright red lips and icy blue eyes -_

Damn it, Charles Xavier!

-

_iv._

The next morning, Charles, Erik, Raven, Sean, Alex, Hank, and Moira all sat at their rather large kitchen table.

Raven pushed her bowl of cereal to the side as soon as she was finished. “Moira, Hank? Could you guys help me with something?”

“Yes, of course, Raven,” Hank stood up immediately.

Moira followed, running after the two, her heels echoing throughout the house.

Charles was sitting next to Erik as he flipped the page of the newspaper he was reading. Erik mixed the metal spoon around in his soggy cereal by waving his hand above the bowl in a circle.

Alex stood up wordlessly, sticking his bowl in the sink. Sean trailed after him, whispering harsh things in his ear and pushing him down the hall playfully.

Silence.

Charles cleared his throat but said nothing.

Erik blinked, dropping the spoon into the milk. “Charles?”

Charles looked at him over the paper. It was several seconds before he replied. “Yes, Erik?”

“I think,” Erik commented, “we have something to talk about.

Charles brought his paper down. Was Erik thinking the same thing he was? “We do, don’t we?”

“Sean and Alex told me that you think I’m…” Erik wanted to turn into a pile of goo. “…cute.”

“Raven gave me flowers from you,” Charles said right after Erik.

“I never gave you flowers.”

“I never called you cute.”

Erik was speechless. “Those lying bastards!”

“That…  _Raven!_ ” Charles voice grew high-pitched. He stood up and stomped into the kitchen. Erik joined him seconds later and grasped his arm.

“Wait, Charles. Humor me; do you  _actually_ think I’m cute?” Erik grinned cheekily.

Charles spoke fast. “Of course I do,” quickly, he changed the subject. “Would you give me flowers voluntarily?”

Erik smirked. “Maybe.”

Charles pulled away from Erik and tilted his face down, hiding his blush.

“You think I’m cute, Xavier?”

“You are,” Charles mumbled, shifting away from the taller man.

Erik grabbed Charles’s shoulders to have him facing him. “Look at me, Charles,” he tipped Charles’s chin up with his finger.

“Why do you want me to look at you -”

Erik took Charles’s face in his hands and brought his lips to his, kissing him forcefully. The kiss was long and sweet and once Erik pulled away, Charles was back at Erik again, attacking his lips and running a hand over his hair. It wasn’t until Charles had Erik pushed against the counter that the both of them heard giggles from around the corner.

“Raven, is that you?” Charles called, continuing to corner Erik. “Raven?”

“Finally!” Raven sprinted into the kitchen with Alex and Sean after her. She hugged Charles from behind and winked at Erik.

“Finally what?” Charles faced Raven and folded his arms. “ _You_  were the one to send me flowers from ‘Erik’, and  _you_ two were the ones who  _lied_  to Erik!”

She sighed, her lips quirking up into a smile. “Yet my plan worked.”

“Plan? What plan?”

“Mission Cherik,” she whipped her head around to Sean and Alex, “right boys?”

“Yeah,” they sighed. “We were forced to,” Sean admitted.

“This is great!  _Great!_ ” She kissed Erik and Charles on the cheek. “I expect to hear  _noises_ from one of your bedrooms tonight!”

Every guy in the room flushed pink.

“Raven!” Charles yelled at her like she was a child caught stealing a cookie.

Raven punched him in the shoulder and started down the hall, laughing the entire way.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles is the last to realize he's in love

Raven knew. Of  _course_  she just  _knew_  it! It was quite obvious. From all of the stares and lip-bitings, Raven had finally come to the conclusion that her brother Charles Xavier was in love with Erik Lehsnherr. She needed to tell someone! Anyone who would listen! _Anyone_. So, that day she approached Hank as he was walking out of the bathroom. “Hi Hank,” Raven greeted him with her sweetest smile.

Hank swallowed hard and attempted to fix his hair. “Hello, um, Raven.”

“I’ve discovered something and I  _need_  to tell someone. May I tell you my excellent discovery?”

“Of course. Go ahead,” Hank didn’t quite know what was so important that Raven would tell  _him_  and not someone else like the Professor for instance.

“Charles is in love!” She exclaimed with passion.

Hank sighed. “I know.”

Raven’s eyebrows knit together. “You  _know?”_

“It’s pretty obvious,” Hank said. Charles wasn’t exactly  _subtle_ around Erik. They were always too close or actually touching. “He’s in love with Erik.”

“How did you -”

“You haven’t noticed for some time, huh Raven?” he teased. “Practically, uh,  _everyone_ knows.”

“Everyone?” Raven screeched. She felt so dumb. How could everyone know except for her? “I gotta go, Hank. Thanks, uh, I guess.” Raven patted his shoulder and walked off down the hall and into another room where Sean and Alex were on the couch reading comics.

“Sean! Alex!” Raven called. “Do you guys know that Charles is in love -”  
“- with Erik, yeah, I’ve noticed,” Alex didn’t even bother to look up as he said this.

“It’s disgusting how… how…  _smitten_  he is over the dude,” Sean added.

Alex nodded. “Yeah.”

“How come everyone knows except  _me_ _!?_ ” Raven nearly shifted into her original form because of all this stress. She stormed out of the room, running a hand over her skin to calm herself.

“Ah, Raven!” Moira walked up to her. “Can you help me with something -”  
“Did you know?” Raven interrupted.

“Did I know what?”

“Charles. He’s in love.”

Moira exhaled slowly. “Yeah, I know. It’s Erik. I see the way his pupils dilate when he’s around him. I’ve stopped trying to flirt with him…”

“Oh my God,” Raven muttered under her breath. “Sorry, Moira, can’t. I’m busy.”

“Completely fine, Raven - oh!” Moira realized Raven had gone somewhere else. Embarrassed, she stepped out of the living room.

Rooms away, Raven sat in her bedroom and waited. Tonight was apparently “Game Night” and Charles was making everyone play Monopoly. So, she had nothing better to do than wait for Charles to call her down. Minutes turned into hours and finally by 8:00, a quiet knock on her door signaled that Charles was here.

“Yes, come in.”

“Raven? Everyone’s in the living room… are you okay?”

Raven sat up straight on her bed and smiled. “Oh, I’m fine. Just thinking. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Wonderful,” Charles smiled, sauntering out of the room.

She grumbled about Charles and about how oblivious she was and climbed off her bed. Joining the others, she greeted everyone. Charles sat  _very_  close to Erik. Now that Raven knew about Charles, she was noticing all of these things that indicated he was in love that she hadn’t noticed before. Now Charles was resting his  _hand_  on Erik’s knee, for God’s sake!

Raven took a seat next to Hank and looped her arm around his neck.

“I call dog!” Sean yelled, picking up the Monopoly metal dog piece.

“Aw, man, no fair!” Alex grinned, punching Sean in the shoulder. He grabbed the metal ship.

Erik used his power and levitated the metal car piece into his hand.

“Oh, that’s  _brilliant_ _,_  Erik!” Charles basically cooed. He reached over and picked up the metal shoe piece and laughed.

Raven tried to keep calm. She  _tried_  not to confront him. She  _tried_  not to yell at them to get together or something stupid like that (Oh, just know that she  _tried_ ). She tried, but failed. “Charles!” she blurted out. Everyone’s eyes were on her.

“Yes, Raven?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Raven asked.

“What?”

“Why didn’t you tell me that you’re in  _love_  with Erik?”

Erik’s eyes widened. He didn’t dare say anything; no one did say anything.

“ _Raven!_ I - I -” Charles spluttered. “Raven.. how… I - ! …  _Ugh!_ ” Charles stood up, startling Erik. He ducked into the other room around the corner.

“Charles wait -”

 _“Don’t_  follow me, Raven!”

-

Charles stopped in the other room with a couple chairs and a table and lamp. He paced back in forth. Was he in love with Erik? Was he? Sure, he seemed to have a crush on Erik, but was he in actual  _love_ with the metal-bender?

When he was with Erik, he seemed to get closer and closer to him whenever they were sitting or even just standing and talking. His hands would get sweaty and sometimes he would even stutter -  _not_ all the time! Charles felt hot and sweaty talking to him, but he usually just dismissed it as the weather. It  _was_ getting close to summer.

Oh no. Wait, so no one else was like this?

 _Oh._  Charles leaned his back against the wall. He shut his eyes and all he could see was Erik. It was like this during the day, too. After working on papers, he would always have _Erik_  to look forwards to.

So, Raven was right, then.

Charles Xavier was in love; he was in love with Erik.

“Charles, Charles, are you alright?” Speak (or think) of the devil. Erik put both hands on Charles’s shoulders.

“I’m fine,” Charles grumbled, backing away from the wall. “Listen, I’m sorry about Raven, mate.”

“It’s okay, I’m not mad. And  _you_  aren’t even the one to apologize, you know.”

Charles took some time to brush himself off. “Um, Erik, when Raven said that I was in love with you, I think it may be true. I was in here thinking about it.”

“What are you saying?” Erik asked.

“I’ve had a crush on you for quite a  _long_  time. So long that I realize now I’m in love with you.”

Erik smirked. “I know.”

 _“_ _You_  know? Number one: How could you know before I knew? And number two: why haven’t you done anything about it?”

“I guess now’s the time,” Erik kissed Charles quickly. “I love you, too, Charles. Ever since you pulled me out of the lake, I’ve sort of worshipped you.”

“Oh, shut up and kiss me again,” Charles wrapped his arms around Erik’s neck.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> College AU; Charles is jealous of Erik's new "girlfriend"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((just saying, there's an original female character in this))

Charles met Erik in genetics class.

Erik would always make a sarcastic remark about doing work or complain about making the mistake to sign up. It annoyed Charles so much, that he actually confronted him one time after class.

And somehow, Erik was inviting Charles to get coffee with him. They became fast friends after that and met nearly every other day for coffee or something fun.

The things was, there seemed to be a lot of… sexual tension going on between them. All of their friends noticed how something seemed to be going on whenever they had a huge get together. Even Charles’s sister Raven noticed how close they seemed to be sitting whenever she just popped in to Charles’s apartment to say hi and Erik would _happen_  to be there.

Something changed one Saturday morning. Charles was on his morning jog through the park when he spotted Erik in the park with his arms around a girl. He stopped behind a tree to watch them from a distance. Both of them were laughing and Erik planted a kiss on the top of her hair.

Charles’s stomach felt weird and he couldn’t help but feel jealousy surging throughout his body. Should he approach them? Charles put one foot in front of the other and suddenly he was walking towards Erik and the girl Erik’s been getting a little too  _handsy_ with.

“Erik! What a surprise to see you in the park today!” Charles smiled.

“Oh, hello, Charles,” he lifted his arm up from around the girl. “This is my -”

“I’m Annalise,” she interrupted, holding out her hand.

Charles took her hand and forced himself to grin. “Hi, I’m Charles. One of Erik’s  _friends.”_

“She’s staying at my apartment this week and then she’s going back to Chicago next Friday. Annalise’s a metal bender, too,” he punched her playfully in the shoulder. “Come on, show him.”

Annalise blushed. She lifted an empty can off of the ground with her powers and threw it against a tree.

“Isn’t that wonderful?” Erik beamed.

Charles pursed his lips. “Really brilliant!” He took his phone out of his pocket. “Listen, I should be going. Still got a mile.”  _I didn’t know you had a girlfriend, Erik,_  he wanted to project at him. Charles knew Erik likes guys and girls but he never said anything about _actually_  dating someone.

“See you around, Charles,” Erik saluted and said something against Annalise’s ear. She giggled and covered her mouth with the palm of her hand.

Charles blinked several times and headed off into the distance, feeling quite betrayed by his metal bending friend. Did Erik love Annalise? Charles promised Erik to never read his mind so he would never know. He felt like crying for no reason at all.

Bursting into his apartment, he panted and dashed up to his room and shut the door. Tears started to fall down his flushed cheeks as he tried desperately to stop himself from making too much noise.

His roommate, Hank, knocked on the door twice. “Charles? Charles, you alright?”

“Fine,” Charles croaked out. “Could you leave me alone, Hank?”

 _Hank, I’m serious,_  he projected.

_Charles, I’m coming in._

“I’m coming in,” Hank repeated verbally. He opened the door before Charles could even manage to say no.

Charles leaned against his bed and covered his face with his hands. “I told you to leave me alone,” he muttered through his hands.

“Woah, woah, woah,” Hank sank down to Charles and grabbed his shoulders. “What happened?”

“Nothing… it’s nothing,” Charles sniffled and wiped his face with his jacket sleeve. He stood up and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m fine now.”

“Charles,” Hank demanded, “tell me what happened.”

“It was Erik,” Charles replied, reaching into his pockets and putting his phone and keys on his dresser. “When I was jogging through the park, Erik was there with some…  _girl.”_

Hank nodded for him to continue.

“I felt a sense of jealousy because, um,” Charles grew quiet as he started unzipping his jacket. “…I like Erik - and yes, in that way. I have for a while.”

“So, you saw Erik with his new girlfriend and you got jealous?” Hank recapped, folding his arms.

Charles groaned.  _“Oh_ , it sounds so  _childish_  when you put it that way, but yes. I feel like a teenage  _girl.”_

Hank shrugged. “You know what’s the best thing to do about this situation?”

“What?”

“To get  _Erik_ _j_ ealous by pretending to date someone else so he’ll ditch the girl and get with you,” Hank suggested with an amused expression on his face.

Charles smiled, finally. “That’s a brilliant idea, Hank! How about _you_  pretend to date me? Come on now, Hank, it’ll just be pretend.”

“I’ll… I’ll do it, I guess,” Hank blushed and looked at the floor.

“Great! I’ll call Erik and ask when we can meet up right away!” Charles exited his room with a bounce in his step. Hank sighed, wondering what he got himself into, and walked into their kitchen.

Charles stripped off his running clothing and changed into something more casual. He picked up his cellphone and dialed Erik’s number.

“Hello -  _Annalise!_  Quiet, I’m talking to Charles,” Charles heard giggling from the other line. Finally when it was silent, Charles replied.

“Hi, Erik,” Charles gritted through closed teeth, trying not to scream into his pillow. “How are you? And Annalise? I hear her in the background.”

“We’re fine, thanks for asking Charles,” Charles could hear the smirk in Erik’s voice.

“So listen, Hank and I want to meet up with you and Annalise sometime tomorrow if that’s alright with you. I’d  _love_  to get to know your gi - Annalise. She seems wonderful,” Charles said quickly. “Oh, and I got something to tell you then.”

“Why not tell me now?”

“I have to tell you in  _person_ _,_  Erik!” Charles nearly giggled. He covered his mouth to stop himself.

Erik sighed. “Fine, Charles. When and where?”

Charles blinked. It occurred to him that he hadn’t really thought this through. “Um… Angel’s Cafe on State Street at 12:00 sound alright for you?”

“Of course, Charles,” Erik drawled, “see you and Hank then.”

“Yeah,” Charles said bitterly. “Goodbye.” He’s never heard Erik sound so happy. It made him upset that the person who Erik was so happy with wasn’t… him.

-

 _“Hank,_ that is the  _ugliest_  sweater I have ever seen,” Charles complained as he stood in Hank’s doorway.

Hank grasped the edge of the sweater and pulled it over his head. This was the  _fourth_ time he’s changed due to Charles’s demands. “Charles, I have nothing else to wear except a white t-shirt and a gray jacket -”

Charles threw clothes from his closet onto his bed and picked out a button down shirt, laying it across his bedpost. “ _Perfect_ , you’d look absolutely  _wonderful_  in it.”

Hank looked puzzled. “But it’s so… plain.”

Charles paused to smile. “Erik likes plain.”

“I don’t see how you could like someone as boring as Erik,” Hank said under his breath.

“Ex _cuse_  me? Erik is  _not_  boring. He’s actually quite charming if you get to know him. And whenever I have him over, you just lock yourself in your bedroom!”

“He… he scares me, Charles.”

Charles slapped his arm. “Stop that or I’ll tell Raven that you like her.”

Hank’s face grew bright red. “You wouldn’t!”

“Oh, I would,” Charles laughed and pulled the button down shirt over his white t-shirt. “Come on, go change. We’re leaving in ten minutes.”

Hank left the room mumbling about something.

Charles practically had to force Hank out of the house. Hank wouldn’t stop saying things like “are you sure, Charles?” or “I don’t think I can pretend I’m your boyfriend”. He blabbered on and on until they were in the car.

“Lighten up, Hank,” Charles grinned and touched his jacket sleeve. 

“We’re dating.” He leaned over and kissed his cheek. He frowned. “Eugh, it’s like kissing my _brother.”_

Hank breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God.”

“What? So you wouldn’t date me if we had never been friends for so long?”

Hank shrugged and wrinkled his nose. “Don’t make me answer that.”

 _Fine,_  Charles projected, turning the car key in the ignition. It was silent the entire car rid there. Hank felt awkward enough already to be “fake dating” Charles, yet Charles was as giddy as ever because he was 100% sure this plan would work. Hank was afraid that if it didn’t work, Charles would lash out on him.

“Let’s go Hank,” Charles said as soon as they got out of the car. He held his arm out for him to link his arm through his. Hank swiftly linked arms with him, attempting to hide his awkwardness.

Walking into the cafe, Charles noticed Erik almost immediately. “Erik, Annalise!”

“Oh, hello Charles. It was nice of you to invite Erik and  _me_ _!”_  Annalise giggled, gripping Erik’s arm.

“Yes, it was rather nice of you,” Erik smirked, towering over Charles.

Charles swallowed, feeling himself sweat in Hank’s grip. “Let’s find a seat, yeah?” He led them to a secluded table by a window. Sunshine poured in from outside as they took their seats.

“Oh, it’s a  _beautiful_  day, isn’t it?” Annalise grinned her bright white teeth at Erik who nodded. She looked towards Hank and Charles. “Oh! I never got your name,” Annalise blinked at Hank.

“Oh, Hank McCoy. Nice to meet you, uh -”

“Annalise Peterson,” she finished for him, holding out her hand. Hank took her hand and shook it, smiling.

Charles stared at Erik’s face. He always thought about how handsome he was - with his cheekbones and bright blue eyes and body that -

 _Okay, Charles._  “Oh!” Charles announced. “Hank and I have something to tell you, Erik. It’s what I was talking about over the phone.”

Erik nodded for him to continue.

Charles placed his hand on Hank’s forearm. “Hank and I are dating.”  
Hank nodded, blushing furiously. “Yeah, just last week in fact.”

Charles couldn’t tell what Erik’s expression was. He wasn’t exactly smiling but he wasn’t frowning either. He  _desperately_ wanted to know what he was thinking but Charles made a promise; and Charles Xavier does _not_  break promises.

“Really? You and Hank?” Erik asked. Annalise just kept on smiling, having no idea what was going on.

“Yeah,” Charles looked up at Hank and giggled.  _Listen Hank, I’m sorry,_  he projected. Charles leaned his head on Hank’s shoulder.

_It’s alright, Charles. Just… uh, we’ll never speak of this again._

_Deal._

Charles lifted his head back up and suddenly the silverware was moving on their table. Or was it? Charles dismissed it as a figment of his imagination and looked up sweetly at Hank. He smiled back, but the smile looked quite forced.

_Relax, Hank. You’re making this look fake!_

_I’m sorry, I’ve never done this before!_

“So, how did you meet Annalise, Erik?” Charles blinked and grinned as innocently as he could.

“High school,” he replied, taking a sip of water.

Annalise lifted a spoon with her powers to stir sugar in her coffee. “Yeah, we were in the same classes!”

“Oh?” Charles rubbed Hank’s arm affectionately.  _Sorry if this feels weird._

_It’s fine._

Erik’s eyes flicked down to Charles’s hand but Charles caught his gaze before he could look away. I think it’s working, Hank. You are brilliant!

“Um, Annalise? I’d like to talk to Charles in private,” Erik reached across the table and pulled on Charles’s sleeve. “Excuse us.”

“Of course!” Annalise replied.

Charles tried to hide his smile at Hank as he walked out to the outside the cafe. “You alright, Erik?”

“No, I’m not,” Erik tapped his foot on the ground and folded his arms. “You’re dating Hank? Why Hank of all people?”

“I like Hank. I just realized it a couple days ago,” Charles lied.

“No you do  _not_ _,_ ” Erik confronted.

“I do,” Charles assured him. “And, yeah, well you didn’t tell me you were dating Annalise. Heavens knows when you were going to tell me!”

Erik burst out laughing. Yeah,  _laughing._  How was this funny? “I’m not  _dating_  Annalise! She’s just a friend.”

“No way, she was touching you and you kissed her,” Charles countered.

Erik was close to laughing again. “Girls like that stuff, Charles. She’s like a  _sister_  to me. Don’t tell her, but I wasn’t exactly happy when Annalise forced me to let her stay over when she said she was staying in New York for some art show or something. I only talked to her in high school and never saw her for a couple years after that,” he explained. “She has a boyfriend, too. His name’s Alex or something.”

Charles sighed. “But… this doesn’t change my relationship with Hank.” He hoped to God that Erik would press more and keep on asking questions.

Erik’s smile fell and he shrugged. He looked to the side. “You know Charles, I thought… I really did, I mean it’s crazy how…  I mean, I must’ve been so self-absorbed to think like this -”

“What?”

“I thought you liked… me,” Erik murmured just loud enough so Charles heard.

“I do like you,” Charles smiled. Oh boy, this was too much fun for Charles, “as a friend.”

Erik groaned. “Damn it Charles, you better be playing a sick joke on me because I  _like you_ _._ Yeah, make a disgusted face or something, but it won’t changed how I feel about you. I’ve been pining after you for some time and every time we meet for coffee, I try to work up the courage to ask you out but I  _can’t_. I thought no one could put up with  _me_  for that long, but you could,” he paused to study Charles’s blank expression. “I thought maybe you liked me too after you told me you like guys and girls, but I guess you spend more time with Hank and that’s why -”

Charles pulled Erik’s shirt to him and crushed his mouth to Erik’s. He pulled away quickly. “I hate you, Erik,” he says, his eyes watery. “I’m not dating Hank and I’m sorry. I was only trying to make you jealous because I thought you were dating Annalise and I felt jealous…” Charles looked down, ashamed.

“I knew it, you bastard,” Erik leaned in and their lips touch again; they’re soft against Erik’s and Charles presses himself against Erik, causing them nearly to tumble down. He wraps his arms around Erik’s neck as the kiss deepens, and Erik cards his hands through Charles’s hair. “Hate you, too,” Erik pulled away only to kiss him again.

Charles smiled and shook his head. “Hold on, I gotta go break up with Hank.”  _Hank the plan worked,_ he sent.

_Oh thank God. All Annalise will talk about is her bunnies at home._

“Annalise has bunnies at home apparently,” Charles commented.

He sighed. “Don’t bring Annalise into this,” Erik grinned, cupping Charles’s face.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four Times Erik Carries Charles to his Room after He Falls Asleep and the One Time He Realizes He’s Doing it on Purpose

_1._

It was rather late and Erik was at the kitchen table reading a book and Charles was on the couch doing the same. Erik turned his head to check up on Charles when he realized he had fallen asleep. Making a decision immediately, Erik promptly put his book down and walked over to Charles.

He realized how peaceful Charles looked while he slept; his chest rose up and down as he breathed and his nose wrinkled randomly as he turned over to his side.

Erik couldn’t help but smile. He thought about bringing Charles to room or just leaving him there, but suddenly, he was wrapping his arms around his body bridal style. Erik made sure to be as swift as possible, careful not to wake him up.

He put one arm under his legs, and his hand around his back and shoulders as he made sure that Charles was resting his head on his shoulder to make him as comfortable as possible. Erik swore he saw Charles smile, but it was probably just him dreaming about something.

Erik was afraid that he would trip over something and drop Charles, but fortunately, that didn’t happen. He lay Charles on his bed carefully and pulled the covers over Charles’s body. He backed away.

“Goodnight, Charles,” he said. Maybe Charles heard him, maybe he didn’t. Erik wouldn’t know. He sighed, and left the room to continue reading, closing the door slowly.

_2._

“I’ll talk to you later, Erik,” Charles smiled sweetly, causing Erik’s heart to beat faster.

Erik’s lips quirked up into a grin.”Of course.” He whirled around and out of the room, shutting the door steadily. “Later.” Erik walked down the hall, leaving Charles in his office and somehow he found himself watching some cartoons for children on the little black and white television in the living room. In his hand, he held a teacup, and in the other, he held the newspaper from this morning.

Footsteps creaked down the hall and into the room where Erik was. “Oh! Erik. You scared me,” Raven backed away for a second, startled.

“Hello, Raven,” Erik greeted, scanning the newspaper for anything interesting.

She smiled, beaming at him for a good ten seconds. “I saw what you did the other day.”

“Oh?” Erik asked, not quite sure what she was referring to.

“With Charles, I mean. How you carried him to bed,” Raven explained, leaning against the corner of the wall, “that was very sweet of you.”

He shrugged, setting the newspaper and cup of tea on the coffee table. “I don’t know, I couldn’t just leave him there.”

Raven sighed, wanting to say more. “Well, I gotta get to bed.”

“Yes, of course. I guess I’ll retire to bed as well,” Erik stood up and wiped his palms on his pants, turning off the little television.

“Goodnight, Erik.”

“Goodnight,” Erik waited for Raven to be completely out of the living room, and then he started down the hall to his bedroom. As he dawdled down the hall, he passed Charles’s office only to find him passed out across papers and files on his desk. He twisted the doorknob with a wave of his hand.

Erik didn’t want to wake him, so he did the same thing he did the other night; he scooped Charles up the same way (hand under the knees, arms around back and shoulders), gripping him tightly. He noticed Charles stir a bit in his arms and stopped to make sure all the motion that was going around him wasn’t disturbing him.

Looking at Charles’s face, he spotted a strand of hair in his eyes. Erik swiped the hair away, making Charles seem more… relaxed. He couldn’t explain it, he just looked more comfortable.

Erik lay Charles on the bed the same as before and once Charles seemed cozy, he said the same thing he said last night: “Goodnight, Charles.”

_3._

“Listen Erik, I never really thanked you for putting me in my bed after falling asleep in odd places.”

“Oh, it’s nothing at all,” Erik shook his head and smiled, failing not to blush.

Charles picked up a syringe and scooped a white rat up from its cage. He injected the liquid substance into the rat and placed it back in the cage.

Erik paused before leaving the lab. “You’re not… doing any wacky experiments on you _r_ _self_ _,_  now, are you?”

“No, no,  _no,_  I’m really too cowardly to do that,” Charles laughed, picking up a beaker and swirling it around. “You don’t want to help?”

“Heavens no,” Erik snorted.

“Rude, Erik, rude,” Charles grinned as he pulled on his goggles.

Erik snorted again, doing his best to hide it.

Charles sighed. “What now?”

“You - with your tweed coat and goggles -”

“I  _am_  a professor, you know.”

“I know,” Erik said, eyes twinkling.

Silence. They stared at each other for quite a while. Charles blinked. “Oh, um, I really should be putting this on heat…” He picked up a colorful liquid filled beaker and put it on a mini stove.

“Yeah, I’ll get going,” he pointed towards the door.

“Alright, Erik, dar -… Erik. See you later.”

Erik nodded, closing the door on his way out.

It wasn’t until way past 11:00 that Charles had fallen asleep in an odd place  _again. Must I always carry you, Charles?_ he thought. Charles was not made of metal so he couldn’t just levitate him into his bed, obviously. Erik scooted the chair Charles was sitting in out from under the desk in the lab and hoisted Charles up bridal style again. He placed him carefully in his bed and sighed. “Goodnight, Charles,” he said, leaving the room and shutting the door silently.

_4._

Erik and Charles were on on their way home from a bar far out in the city. They thought that maybe it would be nice to take a break from all the work with the mutants they recruited, and have a drink.

Neither of them were really  _drunk_  per se, so Erik could drive them home.

“You know, Charles,” Erik said after a moment of silence on the road.

“Yeah?” Charles replied sleepily.

“I didn’t know you liked to drink. You seem so prim and proper.”

Charles scoffed. “Excuse me, just because I’m a Londoner, doesn’t mean I’m all  _posh!”_

Erik laughed. “I was teasing.”

“Yeah, teasing,” Charles mumbled.

The car ride was silent the rest of the ride back to the mansion. When Erik snuck a look at Charles, he was fast asleep and his head was leaning against the cool glass of the window.

“How am I not surprised,” Erik whispered to himself, unbuckling Charles’s seatbelt and moving his head so that when he opened his door, he wouldn’t fall out. Soon enough, Erik was picking Charles up and out of the car and into the building.

When Erik walked in with a sleeping Charles, Moira and Raven were giggling while talking about whatever women talked about with each other.

Raven was the first to notice them. “Aww, how’s sleeping beauty, Erik?”

“He’s just fine, and I think you should lower your voice down,” he examined Charles’s soft pale face, “you’ll wake him.”

Moira exchanged glances with Raven. “I think it’s cute how you carry him to his room and not just wake him up,” Moira stated.

Erik blushed. “He’s kind of heavy, can I go?”

Raven shrugged. “No one’s stopping you.”

He left without a word and back into Charles’s room, where he lifted the cover’s over Charles’s small body. “Goodnight, Charles,” he said on his way out.

_+1_

“CBS Evening News is on soon, Erik. Watch it with me?” Charles slid over to the left of the couch and patted a spot he wanted Erik to sit.

“Evening news? The news nowadays depresses me.”

“Come on, I think I heard there’s a nice action film right afterwards.”

“Fine,” Erik agreed, “just for you, Charles,” he joked, taking a seat next to the smaller man.

They were both completely quiet for some time until something popped into Charles’s mind. He opened his mouth and closed it several times. “Do you think President Kennedy is handsome?”

Erik blinked, surprised by Charles’s strange question. “Of all questions Charles, you ask that,” he laughed, “well, um, I guess.”

“No,” Charles pressed on “would you go queer for him?”

Erik felt uncomfortable. “Charles, do you have some sort of JFK fetish?”

“Sorry, don’t answer that,” Charles said, shaking his head. It wasn’t too long until he asked something else. “What about one of The Beatles?”

“Who are The Beatles?”

“Oh, sorry, new band,” Charles waved his hand around.

“Charles,” Erik asked, the sound of a soap commercial echoing in the background. “What are you asking?”

“Would you… go queer for  _anyone?_ ”Charles asked, mouth dry.

Erik eased back into the couch. “I’m not exactly against it and if I met a nice person of the same gender as me, I would pursue a relationship with them.”

Charles nodded. “Ah, okay. Just wondering.”

The rest of the night was silent. The Evening News ended and the so-called action movie began which really wasn’t all that bad. It was rather intriguing and Erik didn’t even notice when Charles had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

“Oh, Charles,” Erik sighed, preparing to gather Charles up in his arms. He lay him on the couch first of all and then started to wrap his arms around his back and shoulders, and hands under his legs from there.

Making it Charles’s room as quickly as possible, he lay the covers over him and even fluffed up his pillow for support. “Goodnight, Charles,” he said for the fifth night in a row.

What he didn’t expect this time was a response.

“Goodnight, Erik.”

Erik spun around so fast his nearly fell over. “Charles?” He thought that maybe he was sleep-talking or something.

“Oh, oops,” Charles slump down in his bed ashamed. “I’m an idiot.”

“Did you… trick me into carrying you into your bed?” Erik accused.

Charles shrugged, his ears turning pink. “Maybe…”

“Have you been doing that the past couple days?”

“Yeah,” Charles admitted, “I’m sorry, Erik, I -”

“Why would you do that? Are you really that lazy, Charles?” Erik smiled. Well he wasn’t really mad, just… amused.

Charles didn’t really know how to say it. “No, it’s just… I… I like it,” he said, “it gives me a sense of security and I like having my shoulder on your head and your body is warm.”

“Interesting,” Erik tilted his head slightly and sat on the edge of Charles’s bed, “yet, I think just kissing me would’ve been more effective.”

“What -”

Erik crawled up to Charles and hovered above him. He brought his lips to his, Erik’s lips warm and soft against Charles’s. Erik pulled away from him and stood up to leave.

“Wait, sleep with me?”

Erik’s eyebrows reached his forehead.

“No, that’s  _not_  what I meant. Just… sleep, you know?” Charles muttered, yanking the covers higher above his body.

“Alright,” Erik climbed into the bed, pressing his body closer to Charles. “Goodnight, Charles.”

“Goodnight Erik.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Domestic AU fluff

Charles awoke to warm lips against his neck. His eyes fluttered open and the first thing he saw was Erik nuzzling his face on the side of his neck. “Erik,” Charles said softly. “G’morning.”

“Good,” Erik replied in between kisses, “morning,” he pressed his lips under Charles’s earlobe, “Charles.”

 _“_ _Oh_ , I love you,” Charles tilted his neck and smiled, scooching himself closer to his boyfriend.

Erik nibbled a spot of skin on Charles’s neck. “I love you, too.”  
Charles groaned. “Wait, Erik stop. ‘m still sleepy,” he turned on his side and pulled the covers over his body.

“Sleepy? It’s well past 9:00AM.”

“Sleepy,” Charles repeated.

Erik wrapped an arm over Charles’s waist and put his leg between Charles’s. “Fine. I could sleep.”

“Good, good,” Charles trailed off, drifting to sleep.

Erik hummed in reply.

At noon, Charles was out of bed and in the kitchen. He was making himself and Erik a cup of tea and planned on bringing it back to Erik. But then, long arms encased him around his middle. Charles breathed in sharply. “You better be Erik and not a serial killer.”

“Do you think I look like a serial killer?” Erik kissed the nape of his neck and detached from Charles.

Charles finished pouring the kettle water into the teacups. “Mmm… not all the time. Tea, darling?”

“Yes, thank you,” Erik extended his hand out to grab the teacup and cradled it in his hands. “Earl grey?”

“Yeah, your favorite,” Charles planted a kiss on his cheek and took himself and his tea to their living room.

Erik chuckled went after Charles who was sitting on the couch. “Anything good on TV today?” Erik set his teacup on a coaster.

Charles nodded before swallowing his tea. “Of course, it’s Saturday.” Immediately afterwards, Charles’s eyes widened. “Shit.”

“What? What is it?” Erik asked, leaning over to study his face.

“Raven’s visiting on Monday.”  
“So…?”

“Our house is a complete  _mess,_  Erik, if you haven’t noticed,” Charles gestured to all the clothes and papers strewn across the floor and tables.

Erik pressed his mouth close to Charles’s ear. “I know a few ways that’ll make  _you_  a complete mess.”

Charles’s face flushed pink as he giggled. “Stop that, Erik, this is serious,” he pushed his face away playfully. Charles pulled himself up. “I have to make a list -”

Erik spread his hand across Charles’s chest. “Not you’re not,” he pushed Charles into the cushions with an audible thump.

He sighed. “Erik -”

“It’s only 12:30, we’ve got later today and all day tomorrow,” Erik still lay his hand on Charles’s chest. “Will you at least sit with me and watch a movie?”

Charles was most definitely  _not_  turned on by the hand on his chest. He swallowed. “Alright Erik. At least, um, move your hand first.”

“Uncomfortable Charles?” Erik proceeded to move his hand steadily down Charles’s chest and stomach.

Charles shut his eyes. “Erik, I’m going to get up if you continue.”

“Fine, fine, I’m sorry,” he removed his hand and entwined it with Charles. “What movie do you want to watch?”

“What’s on?”

“Mmm,” Charles held the guide button down and flipped through the channels. “Ooh! Finding Nemo!”

Erik shook his head. “Never seen it.”

“You’ve never…” Charles gaped, staring wide-eyed at Erik. “You’ve never seen Finding Nemo?”

“Is that the one with the fish?”

“Yes, it’s the one with the fish!”

“Nope, never seen it.”

Charles nearly squeaked. “We’re watching it, then!”

The movie was in the middle with Dory lying on the turtle. “Is that fish dead?”

“That’s  _Dory,_  Erik. And no she’s not dead,” Charles explained.

“Who’s the orange one?”

“Marlin. He’s trying to find his son.”

Charles and Erik won’t admit it, but they only made it through twenty minutes of Finding Nemo because Erik wouldn’t stop asking questions.

Erik blinked. “Which one’s Nemo?”

“That’s it. Erik, you must never get invited to go to the movies,” Charles folded his arms. “Why are you asking so many questions? It’s a children’s movie!”

 _“You’re_  the one who wanted to watch it!” Erik complained, folding his arms.

Charles gasped. “Before  _you_  wouldn’t stop so many bloody questions!”

“So, I guess we can stop watching movies and have sex now…?” Erik placed his head in the crook of Charles’s neck.

Charles sighed. “Stop it, Erik.” He lifted his wrist to his face to look at his watch. “It’s already 1:30, we should get cleaning…”

“The vacuum is all the way downstairs, Charles.”

“Stop complaining. I’ll put the dishes away, you can vacuum,” Charles lifted himself off of the couch.

Erik groaned, slumping down into the couch. “But -”

Charles bent down to place a kiss on Erik’s lips. “Get the vacuum, love.”

“Fine,” Erik grumbled, rolling off the couch and heading down the stairs. He dragged the orange vacuum up the stairs and plugged it into the outlet. He heard rushing water from the kitchen. “Do you want me to move your files first?”

“Yeah, put them on the couch.”

Erik nodded, pressing the “on” button on the vacuum. He proceeded to clean the living room and the carpet. When he was finished, he brought the vacuum into their bedroom where he would clean the carpet.

Later.

“Hey, Erik - oh!” Charles was quite surprised when Erik spun him around from in front of the sink and dipped him down as if they were dancing and pressed his lips to his.  _“_ _Erik!”_

“Yes?” Erik grinned cheekily and pulled him back up.

“I’m trying to work, idiot,” Charles kissed Erik on the nose and turned off the sink, wiping his hands on his jeans.

“The house is spotless, Charles.”

Charles rolled his eyes. “You’re just saying that to me to make me stop cleaning.”

“Yes, but it’s still true,” Erik argued, plopping himself down at the kitchen table.

Charles actually took a second to think about Erik’s previous statement. “Well, yeah,” he drawled, slinging the kitchen towel across the counter, “the house was pretty clean to begin with, I guess.”

“So are you saying we’re done cleaning for today?” Erik sat up straighter.

Charles mumbled about something. “Yeah,” he sighed, Erik grabbing his hand the minute he stepped out of the kitchen. “Where - why are you in such a rush, Erik? … Ooh! Erik, don’t do that!”

Erik lead his boyfriend into their bedroom but as soon as Charles saw the vacuum -

“Erik! You haven’t vacuumed our room yet?”

Erik shrugged, looking to the side. “No.”

Charles slapped his hand on his forehead. “Raven’s coming over in two days and -”

Erik interrupted him with a kiss.

An hour later, the vacuum was still left untouched.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!! xx


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